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thumper1978
Member Since: 13 Feb 2015
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 81
  
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| Reducing the GVW Disco 3 Commercial |
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Yesterday I got a warning from the police for driving my Disco 3 Commercial over a bridge with a 3T MGW limit.
I agued with them that as the vehicle was empty with only the driver it was below 3000kg. The traffic officer looked at the vin plate and said that because the gvw (permitted) weight was 3230kg, then even empty I could not go over the bridge. 
The bridge is the only route in/out of my village going south and it means a 15 mile diversion to go south on a different bridge if I cannot use it. 
I was told that it is possible to "down plate" the gvw to below 3000kg, I rang DVSA (was VOSA) but they only deal with HGVs. 
The only reason I have a commercial is to carry my 3 rottweiler dogs, and it is all caged out with non removable barriers, so I will never be over 3000kg.
Anyone got any idea of how I can go about down plating the Disco? The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits...
Current: 2008 Disco 3 Commercial XS Auto; 2005 F/L 1 SE TD4 Auto; 1949 Series 1 80" 1.6 Petrol Manual
Previous: 2003 Disco 2 TD5 XS Auto; 1991 Def. 90 300TDi SW Auto (FFRR box); 2001 F/L 1 TD4 Auto; 2003 Def. 90 TD5 SW Manual; 1996 Disco 1 300TDi Manual; 1997 Def. 90 300TDi SW Manual; 1990 Disco 1 200TDi Manual; 1989 RR Vogue 3.9 V8 Auto; 1979 Series 3 County 2.25 Manual
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 24th Jun 2016 8:58 am |
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Bungle
Member Since: 07 Apr 2015
Location: Wanborough
Posts: 256
 
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The police were correct, though they were being very picky! This sort of change has an established procedure in HGV's but is far less common in light goods vehicles.
You need to change the weight in two places:
1. The V5 (log book), simply send it off to DVLA with a letter, because you are downrating rather than uprating they should be fairly relaxed about it.
2. The plate on the vehicle. This is slightly more tricky, I'd start with the local dealer and see if they can get you one made, otherwise a friend of mine (who was doing something similar on a Defender 130 that had been uprated to 4t and he wanted it back down to 3.5t) found one of the specialist conversion companies that were approved to do it. If you don't get anywhere with the dealer let me know and I'll get the contact from him.
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| 24th Jun 2016 11:31 am |
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disco5
Member Since: 23 Dec 2012
Location: birmingham
Posts: 1088
 
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I may be a bit stupid here now .
Cant you get the discovery weighed with you in it ...on vdsa (vosa) weigh bridge and then produce this slip from vdsa(vosa) giving the mass with just you in it .
???
Would that work easier than down rating the discovery
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| 24th Jun 2016 5:18 pm |
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armalites
Member Since: 17 Aug 2013
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 1918
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I'm not convinced they can use the GVW if at the time vehicle weighs less. I would have no issue if they used the kerb weight listed in the owners manual.Maybe the fact it's a commercial vehicle makes a difference?I wouldn't have thought you could be prosecuted on the potential to be over weight.
I have a 3.5t trailer that I have towed with my Volvo V70, the Volvo can tow 1800kg and the fact that the trailer can have gross weight of 3.5t is irrelevant as long as I don't exceed the towing capacity of the Volvo. IID PRO
MSV Extreme
Nanocom One
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| 24th Jun 2016 7:53 pm |
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thumper1978
Member Since: 13 Feb 2015
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 81
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Thanks Bungle, will phone the dealer tomorrow 
Armalites & Disco5 - that is what I tried to argue, that there was no way I was exceeding 3T with a 1/4 tank of diesel, empty loadspace and just me in the car, but the traffic bobby was adamant that 3T mgw means that if your permitted weight is over 3T i.e. you have the potential at some point to weigh over 3T then you are not allowed to go over the 3T mgw bridge
His argument was that if not they would have to take every vehicle they stopped to a weighbridge to check, personally I think it is a stoopid law - effectively I am being punished for something I may or may not do (weigh over 3T0 at some point in the future
Don't know if it applies only to commercials.
The only legal & watertight way I can think of to be able to cross that bridge in thee D3 is to reduce the gvw (mgw) to under 3T  The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits...
Current: 2008 Disco 3 Commercial XS Auto; 2005 F/L 1 SE TD4 Auto; 1949 Series 1 80" 1.6 Petrol Manual
Previous: 2003 Disco 2 TD5 XS Auto; 1991 Def. 90 300TDi SW Auto (FFRR box); 2001 F/L 1 TD4 Auto; 2003 Def. 90 TD5 SW Manual; 1996 Disco 1 300TDi Manual; 1997 Def. 90 300TDi SW Manual; 1990 Disco 1 200TDi Manual; 1989 RR Vogue 3.9 V8 Auto; 1979 Series 3 County 2.25 Manual
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| 24th Jun 2016 9:52 pm |
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Bungle
Member Since: 07 Apr 2015
Location: Wanborough
Posts: 256
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Yep - the traffic copper was correct in his interpretation, sounds daft but a weight limit on a road applies to the maximum Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) or Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) as it is now.
@Armalites The law regarding what you can tow is a different subject with even more complications 
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| 28th Jun 2016 10:40 am |
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